Original version

BBC World Service

BBC World Service Radio

World Service Radio

Witness History

Podcasts

Factual: Life Stories

Factual: History

History as told by the people who were there

History as told by the people who were there.

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

Witness History: The Peter Principle

Documentaries

peter new crop.jpg

17/09/2021 GMT

The Peter Principle

BBC World Service - Witness History, The Peter Principle

In 1969 a satirical book, The Peter Principle, suggested that promotion led to incompetence. Written by a Canadian Professor of Education, Dr Laurence J. Peter and playwright Raymond Hull, the book was a parody of management theory but it's core message struck a chord with many. It became an instant classic, selling millions of copies around the world. We present a rare archive recording of Dr Peter, explaining his theory that “In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence".
Photo: Dr Laurence J. Peter on the BBC in 1974 (BBC)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Witness History

The Peter Principle

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service

About BBC World Service